Province Building Stronger Roads along Eastern Shore

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--Province Building Stronger Roads along Eastern Shore

Nova Scotia continues to build a stronger road network along the Eastern Shore.

The province is advertising tenders for three sections of road work along Trunk 7 this summer. The projects amount to 19 kilometres of improvements, part of the province's commitment to upgrade the highway to handle heavy commercial trucks and to provide a smoother ride for motorists.

"We are helping to build a strong economy on the Eastern Shore," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "We are investing substantial dollars into our transportation network, and Trunk 7 and residents of the Eastern Shore are the beneficiaries of sound investments."

The tenders are for the following sections of Trunk 7:

• from the Highway 107 access road to the west end of Pinehill Drive, about six kilometres;
• from about 5.5 kilometres east of Upper Lakeville Road, east towards Ship Harbour, about 4.5 kilomtres; and
• from about 1.3 kilometres west of Liscombe River, east towards Mackinley Point Loop Road, about 8.5 kilometres.

In July 2002, the province announced a five-year, $17-million plan to repave and strengthen 61 kilometres of Trunk 7 and upgrade four bridges. Last summer about 20 kilometres of Trunk 7 was repaved and one bridge rebuilt.

Once Trunk 7 is repaved and strengthened, commercial trucks will be able to carry full loads along the entire length of the highway, boosting the economic strength of the local community.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains an inventory of 4,100 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Staff provide services from district offices located in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.